Detective Sandiego
by redhatladyfan
Summary: Detective Sandiego is after the Ne'er-Do-Well Gang who are committing heists that don't match their usual style. Did they change or is there another motivation?
1. Chapter 1 Ne'erDoWells

Usual Disclaimer: I do not own the characters of Carmen Sandiego or any other character mentioned related to the cartoon. They are owned by whoever owns Cookie Jar, WOEICS, and the Learning Company, Carmen Sandiego franchise

The Ne'er-Do-Well Gang quietly slipped through an air vent. One by one they made slinked from the vent and dropped to the floor.

"Shhh" one man said looking over his shoulder to see a night watchman's shadow approaching.

All four ducked down behind an oversized display case. One man peeked around the side and watched the shadow walk away. He motioned for the all clear. They approached their target display case. One man opened up a bag, took out some equipment and handed it out. One stood guard, as the other three worked on disarming the alarm system that was built into the case base. They worked with precision, as one held the flashlights while the other two worked their magic. In a few minutes the case was open and its contents gone.

~ACME HQ~

Carmen sighed as she read through a thick textbook. Her feet propped up on the desk.

"Oh why did I have to choose such a complicated PhD topic and to further torture myself by reading thick books like this one to back up my dissertation?" she said out loud and turned a page.

"Glad to see you finally studying" the Chief said as he walked through the doorway.

"Yeah, well…I figured might as well get started before I lose interest" Carmen laughed.

The Chief laughed and handed her a piece of paper.

"This just came in." Carmen read it, while the Chief summarized. "The Ne'er-Do-Well Gang struck the National Museum of the American Indian, in New York last night. They stole a complete outfit from the Anishinaabe tribe that dates back to 1790."

Carmen finished reading, "This is so out of character for them. I mean their motivation has always been jewelry."

"It appears they've found a new one. I've called the museum. They'll be expecting you. Call when you find out what's going on."

"Right Chief."

Carmen watched him leave her small office. She took her hat off the coat rack and put it on.

~ National Museum of the American Indian, New York~

When Carmen entered the building she was greeted by the museum president.

"Good afternoon Miss Sandiego" he said and shook her hand. "I'm John Cleggs the museum president. I'm pleased to know that you're on the case. I've heard you're the best at ACME."

"You're right there" Carmen smiled.

They walked to a taped off area.

"We didn't touch anything" Mr. Cleggs said. Carmen nodded.

She walked to the case and saw a hand-held tape recorder inside of the display window, which was the calling card of the Ne'er-Do-Well Gang. Carefully lifting up the frame, as a precaution she gently took it out. There was nothing unusual about it, as her hands examined it and pushed the play button.

"_We're headed to an island country near the land down under to learn how to do a traditional Haka" _one man's voice said.

Another one interrupted_ "You didn't tell her about Moari did you, cause that's what who we're learning it from right?" _

"_Quiet fool!" _the first man snapped.

The tape ended.

Carmen laughed and said "That's why they're the henchmen and not the boss."

She thanked the museum president and assured him she'll get the Anishinaabe outfit back.

Walking down the museum steps a thought hit her brain.

"Of course, New Zealand is the place and the Moari are a tribe there. The Ne'er-Do-Well Gang is really operating out of their element, but why? I better phone the Chief and let him know where I'm going next."


	2. Chapter 2 HeadHunting

Carmen called the Chief to let him know where she was headed. It was midday the following day when she arrived in Auckland, New Zealand. She asked the tourist information booth at the airport where a person can learn how to do the Haka. They referred her to the Auckland War Memorial Museum where demonstrations and classes are given.

"I wonder what they're up to." She thought pulling into the parking lot.

Walking into the Main Foyer she was greeted by an impressive white high columned room with an indigenous motif. She got in line and paid for admission and inquired about the class.

"It will begin in 10 minutes" the customer service rep stated and handed Carmen a map of the museum.

To busy herself, Carmen walked into an area titled Pacific Masterpieces. An array of display cases held colorful artifacts from local tribes like, jewelry, pottery and masks. She saw her reflection in a display case and began to wonder about her own heritage, or lack thereof.

"I wish I wasn't an orphan so I could know where I come from. I have tan skin, black hair and my name is an obvious indicator, but what about my eyes? Did one parent or both have them? Could I be a combination of two races? Or are they just a throw back from an ancestor?" Carmen pondered, as she looked at the artifacts.

Carmen walked out of the room and overheard a tour guide on a tour.

"And as you can see." She pointed through the open door into a room. "This room is called the Maori Culture Performance room where you can learn and watch how a Haka is performed. A session as begun and afterwards the performers will show what it looks like. The Haka's performed for a variety of reasons such as, celebrations, welcomings, and of course war, from which it's most widely known. The bodily actions depend of the type of dance performed; some require the excessive movement of your feet, while others may not, the same goes for facial expressions."

Carmen looked into the room and spotted the Ne'er-Do-Well gang trying to imitate the master. They stood out like a sore thumb, as they were uncoordinated and appeared more to be doing the Robot. She laughed to herself.

"Excuse me" Carmen interrupted. "I'm sorry for the interruption, but can women participate in the Haka?"

"Yes, even though it's perceived as a man's ceremony, there are women dances. "

"I see. Can I get into this class?"

"Yes, go right in."

"Thank You."

Carmen walked in; "I'm going to find what you're up to" she thought and took a place diagonal from two henchmen.

There were people lined up in rows trying to mimic the movements and facial expressions of the master. Two henchmen were too involved trying to learn the dance to notice her and overheard two talking.

"I hope Maelstrom will be proud of us when he sees us perform on deck."

"Oh I know he will be, especially when we pull into port. We're going to be an awesome sight."

"Maelstrom! I should have known he was behind this. Why else would they be stealing items from native cultures, instead of jewelry, but why?" Carmen thought as she tried to match her stance and arm movements. "I can't catch them here, too many people. I'll have to grab one and make him talk."

She continued to dance and when class ended she noticed one heading out the door. Following him, he led her to the restrooms. Looking around there was no one else in the vicinity, and then tapped his right shoulder. He turned around.

"Hi, Can I ask you a question?"

"Wha..Carmen Sandiego!" He yelled and began to run back when she tripped him.

He face planted.

"Tell me, what's Maelstrom up to?" she demanded.

"I'm not going to tell you" he said, still dazed.

Carmen sat on his back and grabbed both arms, pulling them behind him.

"Ok, Ok."He gave in. "He said if we saw you to relay this message, "Don't lose your head by falling off a branch in India for When You Go Home, Tell Them of Us and Say, For Their Tomorrow, We Gave Our Today."

Carmen released his arms and got up. He forgot about the restroom and ran back to his accomplices. She watched him but was too preoccupied by the new clue. Immediately, she reached into her bag to write down what he told her.

"I wish I had some type of walking, talking, knowledge database to help me. Maelstrom expects me to know everything" she sighed and put her notepad back into her bag.

Carmen walked back to the room and peeked inside. They were gone. She stayed and observed the spectacular Haka being performed. The performers were in complete unison from their feet, hand movements and facial expressions. After it was over, she clapped and cheered.

Walking out she leaned against a wall and took out the map.

"There's got to be a library in here." Her eyes scanning each floor layout. "Aha, second floor here I come."

She went to the card catalog and looked in the I section for information on India. "Don't lose your head", the phrase played in her mind as her eyes scanned each card. Three cards that had the phrase "head hunting" caught her eye.

"Really?" she thought, and wrote down the call numbers.

After finding the books she quickly browsed through them, until she found a poem called the Kohima poem.

_When You Go Home, Tell Them Of Us And Say, _

_For Their Tomorrow, We Gave Our Today _

This is inscribed on a memorial wall dedicated to the 2nd British Division.

"But what's with the headhunting?" she searched the books again and found a picture of a headhunting tree that's on display in the Kohima State Museum.

"Bingo. Maelstrom what are you up to?"


	3. Chapter 3 Kohima

After talking to the Chief, she headed to Dimapur Airport which is located 2 hours from Kohima, India. Carmen communicated with the Dimapur air traffic tower and received permission to land the small aircraft. She got out feeling very exhausted.

"I'm going to have to find a place to get some rest" she thought. Making her way to the airport entrance she noticed a bus outside, and asked if it was headed towards Kohima. The driver said yes. Carmen didn't have to think twice, as it would give her a good cat nap to and back.

The medium sized bus was beginning to fill with locals and tourists. Carmen was in a seat by herself, just about to fall asleep when a young girl about the same age sat down next to her.

"Hello" she said, putting her bag on the floor.

Carmen tipped up her hat, "Hello" she smiled back then brought it down.

"You must be shocked that I can speak English so clearly."

Carmen pushed her hat up and realized she'd be getting no sleep this time.

"A little bit, but India was colonized by the British. It just amazes me that they were able to have an influence this far north." Carmen already knew this but was making polite conversation.

"Yes, in fact the Kohima cemetery is built on Garrison Hill, which was once part of a famous battle site Battle of the Tennis Court. "

"Battle of the Tennis Court? That's an interesting name."

"Mmhmm, the tennis court belonged to Deputy Commissioner Charles Pawsey who used his court as a main line of defense against the Japanese. "The battle ended in June 1944. My people were proud that we won."

"Your people? "Carmen sat up straighter; more interested in what the girl had to say. "You mean you're a native…Indian?"

"Yes." She laughed. "Why do you look so shocked?"

"I didn't' know India had native people."

"We're called Naga, and Kohima is part of Nagaland. We were fierce warriors, or head hunters if you will, but not cannibals. That's a complete misconception."

Carmen was very intrigued at she was being told. All this information was new to her, and made her feel ignorant about not knowing that much about other cultures.

"Fascinating, by the way I'm on my way to visit the Kohima Museum. Can you tell me how to get there?"

"I'll do better than that. I'll show you." The girl said and rummaged through her bag.

"Oh, I don't want to interfere with your day plans" Carmen commented.

"No interference, it's not far from where I leave, and besides I have nothing better to do."

They continued to talk about their interests for the remainder of the ride. The bus stopped in the middle of the green covered town. The air was fresh and clear. Carmen couldn't believe how vibrant the colors were untouched from pollution.

"It's this way." She said and grabbed Carmen's arm.

They walked for a few minutes down the street and arrived at the museum. It appeared calm; there were no local authorities around.

When they entered the building, Carmen immediately asked, "Is there a tree here that has skulls on it?"

"Yes, it's on display in the next room. It's a reminder of our head hunting days. Bringing home the severed head of an enemy was a sign of manhood and pride."

The detective followed the girl into the next room and was about to ask a question when the girl yelled "It's gone!"

Carmen quickened her pace to see for herself. There was nothing left except for a painted background, the plague and a tape recorder.

"Go alert the front desk." Carmen ordered. "I'm a detective with ACME Detective Agency. I'm on a case that involves this tree."

The girl was too shaken to speak and did what Carmen told her. She forgot to mention that she's heard of the agency and was on their recruitment list.

Carmen bent down, picked up the tape recorder and pushed play.

"My, my, my Carmen." Maelstrom said in his snide commanding tone. Carmen was unimpressed and borderline irritated. "I bet you haven't figured out my plan yet, but how could you? It's not like I'm giving you a ship load of Apache Pearls to start a war. I'm looking forward to our encounter, whenever you get here." He chuckled.

The young detective's face turned red with anger.

"That pompous…" her voice trailed off when she noticed the girl standing next to her with the museum director. Carmen explained what had happened and who she was. The director was compliant with Carmen's instructions.

"When's the next bus out?" Carmen asked in a rush.

"In 10 minutes."

"Thank you" she called back.

Thoughts ran through her mind as to what Maelstrom could be planning. "I need to figure this out before I get to the airport."

The bus trudged along the road, Carmen looked at her watch.

"I need to stay focused" she scolded herself "Instead of counting the minutes until I reach the airport."

She played back the tape a few times. Some locals turned around after hearing the man's condescending tone. Carmen smiled trying to cover up her embarrassment.

Her mind searched for Apache Pearls. She's never read or came across anything remotely resembling those two words together. So what if Apache and Pears are two different things. And what's with war and ship. She let her mind play with the four key words that Maelstrom's voice rose on.

"Warship, Pearlship Apache, War over Pearls, Apache Warship? That last one sounds familiar. It couldn't be a tribe; they never had warships. What if it was a warship that was named after a tribe, like the one that fought at Pearl Harbor?"


	4. Chapter 4 Apache

Author's Note: The Apache isn't in O'ahu. It was decommissioned in 1974 and sold to China.

A weary Carmen landed at the airport in O'ahu, Hawai'i. Stepping out of the plane she was hit with the humidity. She took off her hat and ran her fingers through her already wet scalp.

"Ok, now to find the Apache."

The detective rented a motorcycle and rode to the U.S. Pacific Fleet headquarters. If anyone knew Apache's location it would be them. Thunder rolled in the distance a welcome sight to the overheated girl.

~US Pacific Fleet~

"Hello, I'm Detective Carmen Sandiego and I am on a case that involves the capturing of Gunnar Maelstrom and the Ne'er-Do-Well Gang. I have proof that they are here to steal the Apache. I would like to know where it's moored."

The secretary searched the computer database. "The Apache is berthed at Lagoon Harbor, Pier 2. I will have a guardsman escort you to the area."

Carmen thanked the secretary and waited for her ride. As she waited she read the captions of the various pictures of ships on the wall. The detective read about Arizona's tragic fall and how a single piercing bomb sunk it. She made her way around the three walls and found the Apache.

She read the caption out loud, "Six battle stars, Navy Unit Commendation for WWII Service, Two Korean War battle stars and a Meritorious Unit Commendation. Impressive, I can see why Maelstrom wants it."

The woman returned with a near middle-aged guardsman. She gave him the instructions and he nodded. They made their way to the pier in a military jeep.

"Looks like it's going to be a downpour" the man said and pointed towards the green hills, which were covered in gray mist.

"It'll be a welcome occurrence" Carmen said and wiped her forehead.

As they approached the location the Apache had already leaving the dock. The guardsman's mouth dropped and the jeep came to a sudden halt jerking them both forward. Carmen jumped out and quickly looked around for something that could take her out there.

She spotted a small boat then asked, "Where's the key to that boat?" He took a key off his key chain and handed it to her.

"Thank you" she called back. He nodded and was already on the radio to his superiors.

Carmen untied the rope for castoff and started up the engine. Water quickly stirred behind stern. She pushed the lever forward and the small boat sped towards the Apache.

The small craft bounced against the waves, as it neared its target. Carmen could make out a type of synchronized dance on deck. It was, yes the Ne'er-Do-Well Gang doing an impressive Haka. The detective was surprised at how in unison they looked.

She turned off the engine and allowed the boat to float on its tail waves to the base of the ship. Looking around for something to use as a grappling hook she grabbed the rope that was used for the tie and a small anchor. Carmen knotted them tightly together and twirled it above her head. She mentally calculated the shot then let go. Thunder boomed on shore, as the wind picked up making the small boat fiercely rock on the waves. The anchor wrapped itself around the rail. Carmen pulled on it to secure the fit then climbed up.

She crouched along the cabin making her way to the deck. As she got closer she could hear the men shouting and stomping their feet. With a raised eyebrow Carmen peeked around the corner just to get caught by two of Maelstrom's deck hands. They dragged her up the stairs to where he stood wearing the Anishinaabe outfit. The head hunting tree stood behind him.

"What are you up to?" Carmen demanded.

"My dear Carmen, I thought you'd figure it out already. How obvious do I need to be?"

If looks could kill Maelstrom would've fallen down dead.

"Figured what out? All you've done is steal valuable artifacts and for what?"

"For what?" the man laughed harshly. "To take over the seas of course" he said in a patronizing tone.

"That's insane." She struggled to break free from the tight grasps of the deckhands.

Thunder clapped and gale winds blew. Water sprayed on board, as the Apache rocked to one side from a high wave. The two men were caught off guard and let go. Carmen pushed them down and ran after Maelstrom. He was already down the stairs running through the stumbling men towards the bow.

"Get her you fools" he shouted.

With clumsily strides they made their way towards her. Carmen tripped them as they came near. The Apache rocked from the high waves, as Carmen made her way to the other side. Maelstrom was gone. The outfit was tucked in between some barrels. She looked overboard and saw him and his crew fly away.

"Where does he get his high-tech crafts from!" she shouted and slammed her fists against the railing.

Out of the corner of her eye she noticed the Coast Guard and the U.S. Fleet ship making their way through the high waves. They boarded the ship and handcuffed the henchmen. Carmen picked up the outfit and walked towards her escort guardsman.

"Good job"

"Thanks, but Maelstrom got away."

"I know you'll catch him one of these days" he said reassuringly.

Carmen nodded in response and looked up at as the sky poured the welcoming water on her.


End file.
